“You okay?”

Tiffany nodded with a smile, but the smile was different. It didn’t reach her eyes. It seemed more like a mindless one.

Something was off after the dinner. Taeyeon could be dense, but she was definitely able to sense a change in atmosphere as the dinner went on.

Taeyeon placed her hand over Tiffany’s giving it a little squeeze. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m just tired.” Tiffany returned her another, putting Taeyeon at ease, at least for that moment.

“Tired of?” Taeyeon couldn’t help but ask.

“You.”

Taeyeon stared at her, wide-eyed, jaws almost dropping. Her hand slowly released from Tiffany’s, only to be caught back by the same hand she held onto a moment ago.

“You know…” Tiffany looked as if she was using all her might to hold a raven from coming out of . “I don’t have to be able to see to know how shocked you look right now.” She finally released it; her laughter. At least she wasn’t looking as constipated as before.

“Y-yah! That’s not very nice!” Taeyeon pouted, but was certainly ignored, judging by the way the laughter continued without once stopping.

Of course, Taeyeon wouldn’t let it go, at least not so easily. What she did next was definitely working in her favour.

She pounced onto Tiffany, straddling the figure below her. She grasped onto Tiffany’s wrist on one hand and held them above her head. With her free hand, she tickled the latter freely, not sparing her any chance to retaliate.

“N-nononono…” Tiffany, seemingly losing control over her body, tries to wriggle and slither out of Taeyeon’s grasp. Unsurprisingly, she failed. “S-stop… T-taeyeon…”

“Say you will never make fun of me ever again.” Taeyeon demanded, still refusing to give in.

“I-I… won’t m-make… f-fun…” Unable to control her fits of laughter from the ticklish sensation, Tiffany still tried her best to finish the sentence in between them. “…of you a-anymore!”

“You sure?” Taeyeon leaned closer, hand finally easing the tickles.

“Y-yes!” Tiffany was breathing fast and hard, as if she just finish a workout.

“Good girl.” Taeyeon finally released the hand on her wrist. When was she last time she had this much fun? She wondered. She realised, with Tiffany, she could let herself, her locked up personality free, unconditionally.

But what she did not realised was how close she was to Tiffany, bodies almost pressed together. She stared, deep into Tiffany’s eyes. Her hand slide down slowly to the space beside Tiffany’s head, while the other remained on Tiffany’s waist.

With only one hand supporting her weight, she didn’t feel tired at all. She could remain at the same position, for minutes, for hours, or even for nights. The figure before her was beyond mesmerising. There was no way she could tear her eyes off her. Her breathing became heavier, heart rate began to multiply. She leaned even closer, dangerously close to where she had been wanting to own since the night Tiffany slept over. Her eyes roamed around, attempting to spot for signs of reluctance.

“Can…” Taeyeon should ask for permission. She needed to ask. She wanted to. “May I…”

She held her breath as long as she waited. Thoughts started to run wild.

What if she’s not ready?

What if she’s not into me?

What if it’s all my wishful thinking?

What if-

Her thoughts were interrupted, by the slight nod from Tiffany. With that mere gesture, Taeyeon felt as though all her tension was released all of a sudden. There was no longer a lump in . Her fingertips no longer feel like pins and needles.

She we